


Dreams Past and Tonight's Nightmare

by Spot_On60



Category: A-Team, The A-Team (2010), The A-Team - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 14:01:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9328025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spot_On60/pseuds/Spot_On60
Summary: A chance meeting





	

Hannibal saw him across the atrium on the second floor of the mall. He didn't need a double take, there was no mistake. It was Face. Standing by the railing overlooking the escalators he looked to be deep in thought over his Starbucks. The lid to the coffee was in one hand, the cup in the other and the handsome, impeccably dressed man was staring into it intently. Replacing the lid he took a sip and seemed satisfied.

Hannibal hurriedly went around the escalator bank and made his way to the walkway on the other side of the mall. When he reached where Face had been standing he was gone. Searching the shoppers for the man in the beautifully tailored camel hair overcoat he knew he must have looked frantic and all but jumped out of his skin when he heard from behind him, "Hannibal?"

  
Face had caught something familiar out of the corner of his eye. It was the stride. It was the height. It was the elegance of motion. It was Hannibal.

He was taken off balance. He wanted to run, maybe hide. Through the crowd of shoppers he could see his former CO, his former love, former raison d'être and he was making his way in Face's direction. He ducked into a shop. Seeing the tall former soldier, now a decade older he felt a vibration throughout his body. Even after all this time the man still had power over him.

He watched as Hannibal searched the area, turning this way and that. Face, without actualły thinking it through walked out of the shop. Walked up to the man responsible for some of the demons he fought everyday for the past eleven years.

He thought he had it under control, but his resolve was shaken by seeing one of the reasons for his somewhat imbalanced mind here in front of him. In the flesh. It was too late to back away now. "Hannibal?"

  
John spun. Face could see him restraining himself from reaching out for a hug. He was glad of it. He had no idea what he would have done had he been taken in those arms again. Held close with those large hands.

"Face. Temp." Hannibal sounded uncertain. Sounded like he didn't know what to say, how to proceed. Face thought he wouldn't help the bastard out with that. Thought he'd just stand there and wait for the old man to come up with something that might, just might be worthwhile hearing.

"It's so good to see you." Now he did reach out, but only with one hand to stroke Face's arm.

The second Face felt the electric charge through his overcoat, through his suit jacket, through his Egyptian cotton shirt, he barely stepped back and reached upward to smooth his hair, taking his arm back and moving it out of reach. As he lowered it again he saw Hannibal had gotten the message and had retracted his hand.

He felt he still hadn't recovered and lapped a finger just along a quarter of his shirt collar before flattening his silk tie. He noticed Hannibal was dressed as handsomely as himself, also in suit and tie topped with a charcoal overcoat. Face couldn't suppress an old feeling of what a striking pair the two of them together presented.

"Do you have time to sit for a bit?" Hannibal was tilting his head. "You look so good."

"You look good too," he admitted.

"Do you have a bit of time?"

"I'm meeting..."

"I'm sorry. It's presumptuous of me to think you can drop everything."

"I'm headed back in that direction," Face indicated with his coffee cup. "I'm walking by the Starbucks. If you want to..."

"Yes, yes." Hannibal extended an arm as if his muscles were hard wired to place a hand on Face's lower back and guide him. Face stepped sideways. Hannibal took his hand back, dropping it in his coat pocket.

Face didn't accompany Hannibal to the counter as he ordered and waited for his drink. Instead he had zeroed in on a couple who were preparing to abandon the table located closest to the door. As they left he stood by the seating, claiming it. He sat when he was certain Hannibal had seen him.

He took the seat closest to the door feeling skittish and wanting clear access if he needed it. Hannibal took the chair that had been across from Face at the table and moved it to the side enabling him to sit next to rather than across from Face.

"Do you live in the area?" Hannibal ventured.

"About ten miles North."

"And you work around here?"

"In the city."

Hannibal thought this was a bullshit conversation for two men who had meant so much to each other. He laid a hand briefly on one of Face's, "I'm so happy to see you. You don't know how much I've missed you."

Face harrumphed and rolled his eyes, "That's rich."

Hannibal thought he deserved that. He touched Face again. "All these years I've kicked myself for letting you go."

"You didn't 'let me go.' You got rid of me."

Face raised his thumb to his mouth and nervously chewed along the side of the nail.

Hannibal thought, _He still does that_ , and reached again, this time to urge the hand back down to the table.

Face allowed his hand to be guided and thought, _Jeezus, I haven't done that in years_.

Hannibal decided direct was the correct approach and tried again, "I was a fool." He thought Face looked so pained as he wondered if there would be a reply.

Face finally responded by saying ever so quietly, "You know? I loved you more than life itself."

Hannibal tilted his head and opened his mouth to respond.

Face beat him to it. "I literally loved you more than my own life." He removed his hand from his coffee and without drawing attention from anyone else slowly slid the arm of his coat, jacket and shirtsleeve up. Pulled them up as one unit. There Hannibal saw the scars, thick and precise if not fading. Tracing the paths of the veins inside his wrists, they disappeared up under the cuffs.

Sliding his sleeves back into place and shrugging one shoulder as a way to palliate what was an accusation he said, "I didn't want to go on without you." He took a sip of his coffee and turned his head away to look at the shoppers walking by the door and front window.

"Oh Temp. I..."

"They kept me hospitalized for over a month. I've been in therapy for years now." He took another sip and looked at the other man. "Don't look at me like that. And don't be too proud of yourself. It hasn't all been about you." He turned his eyes down to the table before continuing, "You used to be my therapy, John." Again capturing Hannibal's eyes, "Did you know that? There was nothing I couldn't overcome while you were by my side." He let out a sigh. "I've learned how to live without you." His focus was down once more, "Wanna hear something funny? I'm kinda getting the idea I might be worth something on my own. I was starting to feel that way with you, but..." He grimaced and glanced up, "You were good for me. You had what I needed when I met you." Then shaking his head he finished, "But you're not what I need anymore."

Hannibal had nothing. He had absolutely no idea how to respond.

Face stood and slipped around the corner dropping his coffee in the trash can, Hannibal quickly catching up with him, fell in step. Once in the mall Face walked them a dozen yards before stopping to look at this man who would always hold a piece of his heart. A piece that ensured he would never be whole. "We could have had a long, full life together, you and me. I used to dream about us growing old together. But that's over. I'm much too different now. I'm not the same person I was when we were together. I had to become someone else. I had to," he continued on forcefully, "because the person I was couldn't survive without you." He was looking Hannibal square in the eye.

Hannibal again tried to speak.

"Daddy!" An adorable child with blond curls was running directly at them, her Mary Janes slapping the marble-like flooring. Hannibal was preparing to block the little one thinking there must be a mother or father close behind when Face squatted down, extending his arms. "Hi Munchkin."

Standing again the girl had a firm hold around his neck. He smiled with eyes closed as he inhaled deeply into the child's neck. When he again raised his head and opened his eyes they were pooled and reddening.

"I have to go now John." He briefly let go of the girl's back with one hand to wipe his cheek. It's when Hannibal saw the wedding band.

Before Hannibal could touch his arm and plead with him not to go he had turned and was hurriedly walking away, the child looking over his shoulder. Looking back at him with eyes the color of those he had melted into so many times, so many days, so many nights ago.

They joined up with a stunning, petite and rather harried looking blonde woman. She appeared to be reproaching him. He was only able to sputter a sporadic word or two. She seemed to be appeased as she too now turned her back toward Hannibal. The family walked away from him pausing at a storefront. Face glanced over his shoulder, catching Hannibal directly in the eye he remained fixed.

  
Face still had a way about him that could charm the most savage of beasts. It only took a few words to settle his wife's reprimanding for being late to their agreed to rendezvous, the store he referred to as 'Needless Markup'.

She was now happily chattering, "I was lucky to 've found the dress I wanted in my size. They were mostly sold out. I was thinking I should just forget it. If it's that popular, I might run into someone else wearing it. Wouldn't that be embarrassing? But if I only wear it on our trip next week that's not likely to happen. Are you listening to me? Anyhow, I can wear it on vacation. When we get back I'll give it to the resale shop. You know, the one that benefits the hospital, and then maybe replace it with one from one of the more private boutiques rather than Neiman Marcus. After all, everyone shops there and.....Oh, look at that."

Face hugged his daughter tighter, thankful for her. As his wife stopped to admire an outfit in a window display he looked back over his shoulder. Hannibal was still there, still watching him. He was struck with déjà vu. He again saw the regal Army Major, a Ranger. He had been watching as Face and his troop of evening companions were goofing off while walking through the tent city in the middle of a desert some thirty years prior.

He loved his daughter, yet seeing Hannibal reminded him this wasn't the life he was meant to lead. He wanted to speak out loud, but words wouldn't form, wouldn't emit from his mouth. He tried again - nothing. He mouthed, "Why?" And inexplicably he was speaking, "Why did you leave me, John? Why did you leave?!" he yelled across the expanse between them.

Face felt the familiar stroke of hand down the back of his head, dissolving into his neck. A pet. Then that beautiful rumbling voice, "I haven't gone anywhere, Babe. I'm right here."

Face's eyes flew open to the darkened room. He rolled on the bed to see a half sleeping Hannibal where he belonged, along Face's side.

The hand was there again to stroke his cheek. "You're dreaming, kid." He was being gathered in those long arms. "Come here." A kiss was placed gently on his forehead as he was drawn in. "Go back to sleep Temp."

The panicked feeling was flowing out of him. The arms surrounding him and hands holding him firmly to that deep chest seemed to soak the fear, sadness and hopelessness out of him. He let out a deep breath and felt himself relax with a half shudder and a sigh.

He nuzzled his head under Hannibal's chin. His man happily complied by moving his head upward allowing Temp to nestle there. Breathing in the scent of Hannibal's throat he concentrated on bringing his heart rate back down. He hoped slumber would again claim him as one more kiss was placed in his hair.

"Sleep, Babe. I'm right here."

 

 

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